TagSendMessageToFB Function Block

Introduction

The TagSendMessageToFB Function Block sends a message to a recipient using an SMTP Connector tag.

The function block sends the message by sending a SendMessageTo tag command to the tag. The function block provides status information to:

Monitor the progress of the tag command.
Report whether the tag command succeeded or failed.

If you are planning to use TagSendMessageToFB Function Block to send messages about abnormal conditions, consider using the Alarm Router Tag instead. The Alarm Router Tag can automatically forward alarms as email messages. Using the Alarm Router Tag you can configure:

An alarm filter - to define which alarms are monitored.
A send condition - the state of an alarm before a message is sent.

Functions and Function Blocks

The TagSendMessageToFB Function Block is intended for use in a Program Tag that runs on the Fernhill SCADA Server. A Program Tag uses a continuous execution model, where the program code runs at a fixed interval. A program uses the function block to sample the state of the tag command as it executes.

If you want to send a message from an Operator Action, use the TagSendMessageTo Function.

Syntax

The TagSendMessageToFB Function Block has this syntax:

TagSendMessageToFB(
        REQ:=Expression,
        TAGNAME:=Expression,
        RECIPIENT:=Expression,
        SUBJECT:=Expression,
        MESSAGE:=Expression,
        BUSY=>Variable-Reference,
        DONE=>Variable-Reference,
        ERROR=>Variable-Reference,
        ERRORMSG=>Variable-Reference );

Note: All parameters are optional.

Parameters

The TagSendMessageToFB Function Block has these parameters:

Parameter	Type	Direction	Description
REQ	BOOL R_EDGE	Input	A rising edge starts the SendMessageTo Tag Command.
TAGNAME	WSTRING	Input	The name of SMTP Connector tag to send the SendMessageTo Tag Command to. This can be an absolute tag name, or a relative tag name. Relative tag names are resolved relative to the full name of the host program.
RECIPIENT	WSTRING	Input	The address of the recipient who will receive the message.
SUBJECT	ANY_STRING	Input	The subject line of the message.
MESSAGE	ANY_STRING	Input	The message text. Note: In Fernhill SCADA, IEC 61131-3 Strings are limited to a maximum of 65535 characters. For this reason, the maximum length of message you can send using this function block is limited to 65535 characters.
BUSY	BOOL	Output	Set to TRUE while the SendMessageTo Tag Command is in progress.
DONE	BOOL	Output	Set to TRUE for 1 execution after the SendMessageTo Tag Command has completed.
ERROR	BOOL	Output	Set to TRUE if the SendMessageTo Tag Command failed.
ERRORMSG	WSTRING	Output	If ERROR is TRUE, the reason why the SendMessageTo Tag Command failed.

Remarks

Once the SendMessageTo Tag Command begins, additional requests from the input signal REQ are ignored until the tag command completes.

These timing diagrams show the relationship of the REQ, BUSY, DONE, and ERROR signals processing two requests. The first request completes with an error, the second request completes normally:

        +--------+     +-+ +------+
  REQ   |        |     | | |      |
      --+        +-----+ +-+      +------

        +------+       +------+
 BUSY   |      |       |      |
      --+      +-------+      +----------

               ++             ++
 DONE          ||             ||
      ---------++-------------++---------

               +-------+
ERROR          |       |
      ---------+       +-----------------

The BUSY signal is TRUE while the tag command is in progress. The DONE signal is TRUE for 1 execution after the completion of the tag command.

Example Program

The following IEC 61131-3 Program shows:

A FALSE to TRUE transition of a digital data point tag used to trigger a function block.
A function block sending a message with a subject line to an SMTP Connector tag.
Example logic to check the status of the function block.

Program MAIN
    VAR 
        (* The function block declaration *)
        SendMsgFB : TagSendMessageToFB;

        (* The tag used to trigger the write operation
           Note: Uses a relative tag reference to 'Digital Trigger Tag' 
                 located in the same folder as this program *)
        TriggerTag AT %".Digital Trigger Tag" : BOOL;
    END_VAR

    (* Call the TagSendMessageToFB function block *)
    SendMsgFB( 
        REQ:=TriggerTag,
        TAGNAME:="SMTP Connector Tag",
        RECIPIENT:="user@workplace.com",
        SUBJECT:='Operator Alert',
        MESSAGE:='Something has occurred which needs your attention!' );

    (* The DONE output is active for one cycle when the function block completes *)
    IF SendMsgFB.DONE THEN

        (* Was there an error ? *)
        IF SendMsgFB.ERROR THEN
            (* Handle any error *)
        ELSE
            (* Any additional work on successful completion *)
        END_IF;
    END_IF;

END_PROGRAM

Further Information

SendMessageTo Tag Command

To learn about the SendMessageTo Tag Command.

Tag Command Function Blocks

To learn about other tag command function blocks.

IEC 61131-3 Expressions

To learn about the different types of expression to use as function parameters.

Elementary Data Types

To learn about the different types supported by Fernhill SCADA.

Common Elements

To learn about other IEC 61131-3 Common Elements.

Glossary

For the meaning of terms used in Fernhill SCADA.